Area of Administration of Shershah Suri
Within a few years of his final victory over Humayun, the Suri empire embraced practically the whole of Northern India, except Assam, Kashmir and Guarat! It extended from Sonar"aon #now in $an"ladesh% in the east to the Ga&&ar country in the north'east! In the north it was bounded by the Himalayas and in the south by the (indhya )ountains! *he empire included most of the +unab up to the river Indus and )ultan and Sindh! In the south it comprised aputana #mionus -aisalmer%, )alwa and $undel&hand! Kalyan )al of $i&aner had reco"ni.ed his su.erainty! Guarat was, however, not included as Sher Shah had made no attempt to con/uer it! He began his life in a humble way, and, like many other great men in history, had to pass through various trials and vicissitudes of fortune before he rose to prominence by dint of his personal merit This great Pakhtoon will be remembered in the history as a self-made personality, who because of his ego, uprightness and intelligence brought brought an end to the Mughal dynasty dynasty..
4. Provincial Administration:
Sher Shah Suri was founded the Sur dynasty, he gave highly unied system to Sur new initiated dynasty, Sher Shah Suri was the architect of a brilliant administration administration system. !ll civil and military powers were concentrated in his hands. He was adopted a number of ministries, but the ministers have no independence of action. "or the sustaining of #mpire, the whole territory was divided into $% &Sarkars& or unitary divisions. The provincial government government was a replica of the central government. #very department had its counterpart in the province. The provincial government was controlled by the corresponding department at the centre.'( !lthough the provincial administration controlled by Sher Shah himself. He did not shift the power to the !fghan )obility like *odhi+s. efore Sher Shah Suri, the sultanate of elhi did not possess a regular administrative hierarchy of moua, pargana, sarkar and i/ta. Sher Shah was the rst king who gave it a proper administrative system. !lthough, the o0cials of the sarkars were responsible for any violation, they had carried duties to maintain law and order within the unitary divisions. They had responsible to suppress the revolts or rebel activities. The provincial provincial government was specially charged to encourage cultivation. #very sarkar was divided into a number of parganas. #ach province was the centre of rural administration1 administration1 the head of the pargana pargana administration was ami* The assessment and revenue sta2 was under the amil+s supervision.'(
He was responsible to dispatch money to head/uarter of his respective province. 3n each province treasury had located. The constitution of the maua under Sher Shah Suri, as observed by Hasan !li 4han, were as follows( They should build a mos/ue in every village and should attach production land to it as wa/f. The income of this village should be utilied in making arrangement for it. The mullah should be a reader of the 5uran and versed in the principal tenets of religion. On more than one occasion, Sher Shah resorted to Jehad or holy war against the Rajputs. War against Pooranmal of Raisin was officially called a Jehad. His treatment of Maldeo of Jodhpur is a symol of his intolerance. !he same could e said aout the siege of "alinjar. #enerally, Sher Shah was tolerant in matters of religious elief. He separated politics from ethics. He did not carry on any organi$ed propaganda against the Hindus. On the whole, he was tolerant towards the Hindus.
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Sher Shah was the first )uslim ruler who "ot the whole of the land measured and fixed the land' tax on it on ust and fair principles!
However, some historians and scholars point out certain defects in the revenue system of Sher Shah! •
1irstly, it is pointed out that he could not completely root out the -a"irdari system which had ta&en deep roots in the Af"han society!
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Secondly, it is said that as the land revenue was fixed on the avera"e produce of each bi"ha of "ood, avera"e and inferior land, the owner of "ood land always stood to "ain while owners of inferior land was always the loser!
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*hirdly, it is said that as the convention of land revenue from &ind to cash always depended on the 2entral Government, it always led to delay in the collection of land revenue!
$ut we must not for"et that Sher Shah had ruled only for five years! 3urin" this short period he had not as yet tested his reforms when the cruel clutches of death ended his life! If death had spared him more years, Sher Shah would have certainly won that renown which A&bar "ot for his land reforms!
Reforms Introduced by Sher Shah Suri Administrative Reforms
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Extensive repairs of Major Roads
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Rest houses for travelers
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Drinking well for Musafirs
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1st to introduce agricultural land measurements
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Categorized Cultivated land according to its production
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Introduced ostal !"stem in which horses carried mails
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Introduced #ree $itchens to provide meal to poor%need" people
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!pend a due share of &oot" on &uilding Mos'ue( )uilding Roads and lanting *rees
Economic Reforms
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Introduce Coin or Rupai"a
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1st in !u& Continent to introduce Custom Duties
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Introduced new coinage +Rupi"a and *akka in place of aisa and ,eethal-
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Introduced .and Revenue !"stem
Political Reforms
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1st who kept Militar" /wa" from politics
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Made cantonment areas controlled &" /rm"
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Crushed athan( )aloch( Rajput and 0akkhar tri&e in India to &r the !upreme /uthorit" of !u&Continent2
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,oined Multan and /gra to each other with #amous 0* Road to overcome communication gap2
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Introduced !"stem of 3!arkars and arganas3
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/ 4ation )uilder
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Involve 5indus in /dministrative Machiner" of !u& Continent
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*ried and Esta&lished a 4ational 0overnment
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)elieved in easantr" to &e the &ack &one of state2